Box Score MINOT, N.D. – The Minot State University volleyball team lost their ninth consecutive Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference match Saturday afternoon at the hands of No. 3 University of Minnesota Duluth.

UMD (16-1 overall 8-1 NSIC) dominated the match from the beginning as they took down Minot State (4-15 overall 0-9 NSIC) in straight sets 25-8, 25-14, 25-20.

The Bulldogs were led by All-American outside hitter Kate Lange with 12 kills in the match. As a team, UMD hit for a .248 average while allowing the Beavers to hit just .030. Defensively, the Bulldogs were led by sophomore Julie Rainey with 20 digs overall.

“UMD is a very well-trained team,” said MISU head coach Travis Ward. “Jim Boos is a great coach and his team doesn't play that way by accident. Our girls saw an elite team tonight and hopefully that will allow us to be better prepared in our next match.”

Minot State struggled to get things going early as they made six hitting and just four kills in the first set. In set two the Beavers statistically had their best set, hitting for a .231 average.

The Beaver attack was led by Mallory Sall (Fr., OH, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) and Shari Hewson (Sr., MH, New England, N.D.) with seven kills apiece. Sophomore Emily Byrne (S, Reno, Nev.) dished out 18 assists in the loss.

“We need to have more energy coming into a match against a ranked opponent,” said Ward. “I was happy with the way our team reacted and came out in the third set, but we need to pick it up earlier in the match.”

MISU will continue the home stand next weekend as they play host to the five-time defending national champions, No. 6 Concordia University-St. Paul on Friday night at 7 p.m. The Beavers will turn around Saturday afternoon and play another nationally ranked team at 5 p.m., the No. 10 Minnesota State University Mavericks.